Tookinator

Personality disorders are rife, as your name being linked to the sick ideology of liberalism demonstrates. Such an affliction doesn’t mean you’re automatically spared the inconvenience of moral restraints.

hinamanu

hj

The reality is that when it comes to ability the population follows the normal curve. Also every part of our intelligence and behaviour has a biological vector. All it takes to send someone off the rails is nature doing a bit of genetic experimentation, a difficult birth or a poor (as in deficient ) upbringing.

The libertarian would say: “it’s my right to trample on your weakness”.

Komata

I don’t know if this is germaine to the discussion, but last year Lindsey appeared in a Waikato Times article as being someone who was seriously looking for work. Lindsey is well-known in central Hamilton (if you know where to look) and yes, he is a very intelligent individual. At the time the ‘Times article appeared, he had ‘applied for more than 500 jobs’. He subsequently appeared ‘in public’ looking quite natty and well dressed. I for one was pleased as things seemed to be looking-up for him. Sadly though, that stage didn’t last and he has now gone back to what can best be described as ‘street’ clothes (although they are always very clean and tidy). Not sure why this is the case, but I do wonder if he has somehow become so innured to the ‘street’ that, because has been home for so long he simply cannot get out of it; escape its clutches if you will. However, as I’m not a psychologist, that is mere speculation on my part. I wish him well, and hope that ‘one day’ he will in fact be able to’escape’ his situation (if he wants to, of course).

Kea

The libertarian would say: “it’s my right to trample on your weakness”.

hj, no a libertarian would not say that. A libertarian would allow that person to live the life they choose, which is what that man is doing. He is not broke and is not living on the street for want of other options.

hinamanu

hj

A libertarian would say that a property owner in NZ should be free to sell to anyone in the world to obtain the highest price and that capital should be free to go where ever it wants to find the cheapest labour, and if wages and conditions in this country sink to a world low it doesn’t matter because somewhere wages my have risen on average. Libertarians don’t see a world of limits or the world economy functioning within the worlds ecosystem hence don’t recognise overpopulation or climate change.

nasska

…..”He still pops an Olanzapine and Venlafaxine pill each morning to keep the intense worry at bay. “…..

Olanzapine is an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia & the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
Venlafaxine is an antidepressant.

It’s not hard to draw the conclusion that Mr Evans is not a well man. Some doctors will hand out antidepressants like lollies but antipsychotics are prescribed for known conditions. He is almost certainly the victim of “community care” policies pushed by Dear Leader in order to shut down facilities dedicated to treating disorders such as these.

Trouble is that the promised psychiatric help was never adequately funded & the community doesn’t care.

I don’t know, obviously it was just a guess. Presumably he’s become socially isolated because he is a societal misfit, and from the resultant loneliness he’s drawn to the street because there are other humans there, albeit ones that generally treat him scornfully. Oh, and the article does state that he’s mentally ill and is on medication.

Hell, that’s the nature of society. Take a 1000 people at random. A few do really well, most do okay and a few do really badly. It’s one measure of society as to how we choose to treat the unfortunate few.

dime

Brian Griffin

Someone considerably wiser than I once observed that

“any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members ; the last, the least, the littlest.”

I don’t know who this guy living on the streets in Hamilton is, I can only go by my own experience; I had a high-level corporate job, good health, a young family and a home in an expensive, quality suburb. 20 years go I was diagnosed with a arterial-venal malformation in my brain the size of a large mandarin, that began causing grand mal seizures. My employer for whom I had worked my guts out arranged a “redundancy” that suddenly left me without enough to cover the mortgage, let alone medical insurance and every other bill.

This occurred simultaneously with the break up of my relationship with my children’s mother. At the time it felt like when you’re a kid and you are spinning along happily on your bike and clip a lamp-post without warning because you were looking the other way. Blindsided.

Suddenly I’d gone from being highly popular and accepted by society, to feeling as if I was a spare wheel, with little relevance and a tumour that could bleed and kill me at any time. Every few weeks I would collapse on the spot, crap my pants, macerate my tongue and recover over the next day or so. This is a hard situation to be in and continue to feel optimistic about. For the sake of my kids I soldiered on, and finally found I was forced to seek help from Social Welfare – I resisted as long as I could, paying my own way until all my reserves were spent. I then reasoned that, having paid tax and supported other beneficiaries, it was my right to apply for some relief also.

I know that behind my back, some of my “friends” criticised me for being a lazy bludger.

After applying for many, many jobs and dutifully informing them that I suffered from epilepsy but that it was by then under control through subsidised medication – another story really; I applaud Pharmac – I did not gain any traction in the job market and was reduced to doing odd-jobs around the neighbourhood for a pittance. A lot of friends drifted away at this stage, and so the support network that most of us rely on whether we realise it or not, was not there to help me through. A couple of good, true friend have stayed loyal throughout, however.

Wanting to take my luck into my own hands I went to Uni and completed an MBA over 16 months, leaving with a great sense of achievement and pride, I then started to apply for some terrific jobs in the private and public sector. In almost every case I got second place, after what amounted to an humiliating series of interviews where I was being used to justify taking on the person without the disease.

After nearly a year my remaining reserves were used up, I had a 30k student debt and still no job.

I started my own business, teaching myself to work on the web and studying furiously to blend my existing knowledge with new technologies. I had to forgo driving, which meant I saw less and less of my kids, and take no holidays. I have been extraordinarily fortunate that my elderly parents have been in a position to back me financially, but this is hardly a long-term option. I have of course discontinued drawing a Sickness Benefit (or whatever euphemism is used) and am determined to stand on my own two feet. My nascent business is funded entirely by debt, there are terrifying cash-flow chasms and many sleepless nights – I expected this with a new business, but the last four years have been one long slog without much light at the end of the tunnel.

Last week ACC threatened to bankrupt me if I did not pay my bill. I am negotiating with IRD to make sure I pay my fair share of taxes, only too aware that the Health System has invested heavily in my, using taxpayer funds.

I therefore have considerable sympathy for those less fortunate the I, when you see someone in the street you have no idea of their story, and you should at least consider that were it not for pure luck – because no-one can see the future, everyone’s decisions are 50% chance – it could be you.

When someone asks me for money I don’t often tell them to piss off and get a job, I consider that they have descended to a place where they are willing to publicly humiliate themselves for a few coins to survive. Although I rarely can spare anything, I’ll usually give them half of my coins.

Some of you thoughtless twerps posting on this forum really need to get a life – building up your ego at the expense of someone else’s is the classic mark of a bully.

Johnboy

RRM

nasska

Brian Griffin

Like any group there will be a few arseholes here who are totally unable to empathise with anyone. Most however, would understand the problems of someone with a broken leg but unless they have had some contact with a friend or family member with an unseen or mental illness find it easy to write the situation off to lack of guts or laziness.

I was one of those until my stepdaughter was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It turned the family’s lives upside down & even now her problem although understood & medicated will never be cured. I suspect that the subject of Stuff’s story is in a similar position.

You’re obviously giving it your best shot…..I hope it works out for you.

Brian Griffin

Thanks Nasska!

An affliction that is not physically obvious is hard for people to comprehend. As you say, a broken leg easily garners sympathy, however it’s not sympathy we need, it’s understanding. Empathy is probably too much to ask for.

I really appreciate your supportive comment, and good wishes. I hope your family is also regaining some sort of normalcy.

Sonny Blount

duggledog

Ah Jesus. Says he has $76,200 in his bank account. Did the journo ask for any verification of this or did he just take his word for it? Because the last seemingly intelligent homeless dude I talked to said he owned a twelve bedroom house in Epsom.

If we assume he is telling the truth and has got the money, well he’s representative of a huge swathe of New Zealanders who have been conditioned to take from the ever generous state and give nothing back in return. Sweet as bro. At least he’s saved it!

Brian Griffin

Brian Griffin

@ Harriet

Not sure what gays adopting children and giving them a loving home when other won’t has to do with that quote, nor those dysfunctional environments where children have their future taken away from them either – your quote leaves me mystified. Your point, though probably decipherable, is lost on me. My kids come from a “broken” home – they are loved and well cared for, confident and high achievers, with both a strong sense of right and wrong and a semblance of social conscience. It doesn’t make them socialists or anything else. I can’t speak for anyone else’s.

@ Redbaiter

That quote is variously attributed too Churchill, Truman, Dostoevsky and Ghandi, amongst other. It might represent what they conceive to be an ideal to strive towards, or just a platitude to quell the unrest of the masses, but either way it’s hardly crap, and indeed, not necessarily socialist either.

Nor worthless. It is at least worthy of intelligent consideration, before dismissing in such a prejudicial manner.

A “nation” is composed of individuals, so what you have stated is that actually you agree? I find that hard to fathom, unless you have confused “nation” with “State”, as in a government.

Brian Griffin

Sorry Sonny, I missed your posts.

I never said I was an authority.

I can only speak from my own perspective, and therefore saw that without stating my “unrelated” story I could not make the point I wanted to make. And I wished to point out that from where I stand, most of the posters were taking an ill-informed shot at this homeless guy who possibly has all sorts of reasons for his position – conceivably even that he is a lazy, drug-addicted bludger who choses to live in filth.

So yes, I stand by my statement that thoughtless “twerps” were behaving in the classic manner of bullies everywhere. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings if you identified with that, and meant you no offence.

Do you have a reason why you are taking the position that you are? – At the risk of making this a very long forum, of course. 🙂

survival

Profile: Male. 53. Suffers from a mental illness. No kids. Has five siblings. A baby boomer too. This is one baby boomer we should not be bashing! He’s on anti-psychotic, depression and diabetic medication. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live on the streets. If this man was capable of living a normal life he would live a normal life. In saying that it is a shame he is unable to withdraw his funds and pay cash for a cheap house in another town. If he had less than $8,100 cash in the bank he would also qualify for the accommodation supplement. This would mean he would get a lot more than the net $168 per week he gets now. If he also had assistance with his overall presentation, he might be able to get a job (unlikely at his age), go off the benefit and get a flatmate. I wish him all the best and, hopefully, he can be assisted in Hamilton.

Steve (North Shore)

This guy is no more a victim than I am. He is a bludger, taking the easy way, he is liking his lifestyle.

As for his drug addiction, he is working the System fine.

I once met a guy who was doing this. He had a MK3 Ford Cortina with a V8 that had heads on the motor from a two stroke train engine; he was in the process of selling it to Mick Jagger.
No BS – Taharoto Unit North Shore.

Brian Griffin

@ Steve do you still have his number? My Cortina is really hard to start since I put two cycle heads in place of the overhead valve train arrangement. running pretty lean – seems to get no fuel at all. Mick reckoned it was because it was a V8, but I reckon I know better.

Johnboy

Brian Griffin

That’s what I thought Johnboy. Ship two-strokes sometimes have sliding cylinders that act as valves, some diesel truck engines have an exhaust valve in the head, but if you had a standard four-stroke V8 it is totally unfeasible. Ergo, I think Steve was implying his old MK3 mate was as mad as a meataxe.

Still, if i ever decide to throw in the towel and live off the state as a mental inmate, I know what to tell them, aye.

Left Right and Centre

Homeless, but can afford to smoke: Yeah, he’s not paying any rent… he can afford to smoke… duh!! And it doesn’t say how much he spend on it. Could be $10/ week or $50. I can’t see anything in the article….

How much do cigarettes cost? Geez mate… I don’t know… if you’re a dude that gets 10 out of 10 on every political pub quiz I’d have thought you could look that one up or know from your own infinite general knowledge.

Not sure he can afford to be so choosy: Choosy? That’s an average of one job application every other day… slightly more even. How many do you want him to apply for? Every job on planet earth? And he’s been granted one interview. Out of 800 job applications?

Why no job? Because he’s probably unemployable with quite a few problems of varying descriptions. And he’s been granted one interview. Out of 800 job applications? 0.0125 success rate getting an interview. That’s why. You’d have to ask the employers or recruiters why they wouldn’t interview the man. Out of 800 job applications you’re bound to get some fruitcake do-gooders who would try to help him as a charity case and he’d end up on Cambpell Live right after old chipmonk face has finished spoonfeeding hot gruel into some brown Northland kids mush in the previous segment.

20 cups of coffee a day? What the fuck else are you going to do if you’re homeless? That’s nothing mate… nothing. 20 is nothing. I’ll do 20 cups of tea in a day and that’s nothing. Waiting for an upcoming exam I was doing 600mls of tea every five minutes at it’s worst. I’m not exaggerating. It was the only cop-out I had left to get away from continual revising and cramming. 20 is nothing. It’s five cups every four waking hours on average. That’s nothing. I hope he drinks sixty cups.

bhudson

The man has over $70k on fixed term deposits. They require rolling over on a regular basis at the very least. Given that they are spread across three banks is a very strong indicator that he makes decisions about what to invest where and for how long at a time. His obvious medical condition may result in those decisions not being optimal, but clearly he is able to make rational decisions on his investments. And has been able to do so for some time.

I certainly do not begrudge him his public health system support for his conditions. I would hope that no one else would either. To say that those conditions somehow make him incapable flies in the face of the other evidence presented in the article.

Brian Griffin

I’m becoming jaded with this now. dude’s a bit of a loser, let’s let it go. I have very little faith in Stuff or the accuracy or completeness of their reportage, and this reeks of a beat-up story out to get some more traffic.

Let’s not continue to rise to their bait.

How many thousands of other more important issues are there? One can imagine the editor going “Homeless man has $70 grand in the bank! – What a great headline”. And he says he has tried for what, 800 jobs? Who fact-checked that? And we know that he is on prescription medication, and that those drugs are for psychosis and depression. Really? I’d be depressed too, not really national news.

HC

This man is one of a fair few, and growing in numbers all over NZ, I am afraid. I see more of homeless and even beggars, some clearly mentally unstable and unwell, quite regularly. To blame them for being able to afford some tobacco or cigarettes is not fair. You can hardly compare addiction to a now very expensive habit to be the unacceptable reason for not having a shower and renting a room.

Rents are high in many places, certainly in Auckland, and although a bit cheaper in Hamilton, not that affordable there either, that is when you have NO income, except perhaps a benefit.

As this man appears to have “savings” he must clearly be mentally ill. He may have disorders that make it difficult for him to be acceptable to most landlords. So some will say he “chooses” to be homeless, but I feel one can only “choose”, if one is of sound mental health and can make sensible decisions.

Mental health in NZ is neglected in many ways, despite of some improvements over the years. Some fall between the gaps, and this person is one of them. He clearly needs some proper supervision and care out of the ordinary. But it seems, the system is not geared for delivering that.

The media like such odd stories, but do they help the man and offer any answers?